Container filling apparatus



March 28, 1967 H. R. HUGHES 3,311,140

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, .1964 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES BYMMQZM ATTORNEYS March 28, 1967 Filed Nov. 5,1964 H. R. HUGHES CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORHARLEY R HUGHES QMMQQM ATTORNEYS March 28, 1967 H. R. HUGHES 3,311,140

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5'INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1964FIGS.

INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,311,140CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Harley R. Hughes, Summit, N..I., assignor toColgate- Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Nov. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 409,214 1 Claims. (Cl. 141-444) Thisinvention relates to the filling of successive moving containers withpremeasured amounts of a fluent material and is particularly concernedwith special simplified apparatus for the purpose wherein hithertorequired complex mechanism for valving and otherwise controlling thehandling of such material is no longer needed.

The invention in its preferred embodiment will be described asincorporated in and practiced using automatic apparatus for the fillingof successive containers that are continually moved into and out of thefilling station of the apparatus. Apparatus of this general type haslong been known in which dry particulate or granular fluent materialfrom a supply enters a series of measuring flasks on a rotatingturntable, and the measured volumes of material are discharged fromfilled flasks into associated containers moving at the same speed withthe measuring flasks, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent toNalbach No. 2,849,033, for example.

Known apparatus of this type usually embodies arrangements foradjustment of the measuring flask volumes and the provision of funnelsmoving around with the flasks for directing discharge of the measuredquantities of material into the container, as disclosed in United StatesLetters Patent to Small No. 897,420 for example.

However, in all of these prior apparatus within applicants knowledge,relatively complex slides, gates and controls therefor are employed,particularly for effecting properly timed discharge of the measuredvolumes from the flasks into the tunnels, and the major object of thisinvention is to eliminate the need for such devices and controls whileproviding more efficient operation of the entire filling apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide novel apparatus for thecontinued automatic filling of containers with a dry fluent material,such as a particulate or powdered material, wherein discharge ofmeasured volumes of the material into the containers is controlled byrelative movement of the measuring flasks and a discharge control memberto which the containers are periodically connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for theautomatic filling of containers wherein measuring flasks are mounted ona rotatable member in novel discharge control association with anotherrotatable member having funnels or like filling guide means adapted tobe selectively connected to containers throughout a predetermined zoneduring rotation;

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus for theautomatic filling of containers comprising two superposed turntablesrotatable about parallel but offset vertical axes, the upper turntablecarrying a series of measurding flasks the lower ends of which areselectively closed and opened by the lower turntable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel automatic fillingstructure wherein a row of volume measuring flasks depending from anupper rotating member have their lower open ends in operative slidingclosure engagement with an upper surface of a lower rotating memberhaving a row of discharge openings adapted to be selectively connectedto containers to be filled during a predetermined portion of eachrevolution, said flask lower ends overlapping said discharge openingsfor disarticles.

"ice 4 charge of the measured volumes therefrom during a predeterminedpart of said portion of revolution.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceedsin connection with the annexed claims and the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially diagrammatic side elevation broken away inplaces and sectioned showing a container filling apparatus wherein theinvention is incorporated according to one embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a mainly diagrammatic top view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1showing the eccentric relationship of the flask turntable and the funnelturntable;

FIGURE 3 is a section substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showingdetails of drive and operation;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section showing afurther embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a mainly diagrammatic top view of the apparatus of FIGURE 4showing another eccentric turntable arrangement.

In one embodiment the invention is incorporated in apparatus for fillingany type of container such as metal or paper cans, glass jars orbottles, wound fiber strip containers, lightweight molded plasticbottles or cardboard cartons with dry particulate bulk material such asa cleansing powder. In FIGURE 1 the filling station is indicated at 11,and a succession of empty containers 12 are advanced toward it on thehorizontal upper flight of a continuously moving endless conveyor belt13.

The empty containers 12 are properly spaced apart by a star wheel 14 andadvanced in spaced relation up an inclined ramp section 15 into fillingengagement with depending funnel assemblies indicated at 16 and mountedon a continuously rotatable turntable 17 as shown in FIG- URE 3. Duringfilling the containers move along a horizontal section 18 of the ramp,and when filled they descend an oppositely inclined ramp section 19 to astar wheel 21 which delivers the filled containers 22 back onto theupper flight of belt 13 to move away from the filling apparatus forfurther handling such as application of a cover. Laterally open pockets20, arranged around the periphery of a container feed drum 30 which isrigid with turntable 17, receive the containers when they reach the rampand move them around with turntable 17.

The foregoing general arrangement is preferably the same as thatdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,928,438 issued Mar. 15,1960 to R. T. La Pier et al., to which reference may be made for moredetail.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2, the turntable 17 is circular in plan,rotates in a horizontal plane and is formed near its outer peripherywith a series of equally circumferentially spaced circular funnelopenings 23 of the same diameter in which are fixed the upper largerends of similar tapered funnels 2-4. The centers of openings 23 lie in acircle concentric with the axis of rotation if turntable 17 Adjacent itslower end each funnel snugly slidably supports, as by pin 25 and slot26, a tapered adapter sleeve 27 sized to enter into the container openupper end. Funnel sleeve 27 is tapered and has limited slidingdisplacementlongitudinally of the fixed funnel section 24 so that itautomatically compensates for any slight errors in container dimensionswithin the usual manufacturing tolerances encountered in molded plasticMoreover the circular mouths of these plastic articles are to someextent resilient whereby they tend to grip sleeve 27 upon insertion, thenet result being that when a container is on ramp section 18 with itsopen mouth telescoped with sleeve 27 the container is eflectively sealedto the funnel and there is no escape of dust during the containerfilling operation.

Turntable 17 is preferably supported from below as on an annular ballbearing race unit 28, is formed with a large central aperture 29 and hasfixed thereto an internal ring gear 31, for a purpose to appear.

Above the funnel turntable 17 is a horizontal flask turntable 32comprising vertically spaced upper and lower concentric circular plates33 and 34 of the same size. Lower plate 34 is spaced a small distanceabove the horizontal smooth flat upper surface 35 of platform 17.

Plate 34 is suitably secured, as by a fitting 36, to a vertical driveshaft 37 that has its lower end connected to an electric motor (notshown). Fitting 36 may be welded to both shaft 37 and plate 34.

The upper end of shaft 37 extends freely siidably through an aperture 33in top plate 33 and is threaded at 39 to receive washers 41 and 42 onopposite sides of plate 33 and corresponding lock nuts 43 and 44 aboveand below the plate. It will be seen that by relative adjustment of nuts43 and 44 the vertical distance d etween plates 33 and 34 may beadjusted as is desired within limits.

Of course more sophisticated adjustment means for raising and loweringplate 33 may be used, and there may even be automatic adjustment meansresponsive to powder level in the individual containers, but theprinciple and purpose of the adjustment remains the same as will appear.

Turntable plate 33 has equally spaced around its outer periphery aseries of circular openings 45 the centers of which lie on the samecircle concentric with shaft 37 as a similar series of equally spacedcoaxially slightly larger circular openings 46 formed in lower plate 34.Fixed within openings 45 are a series of similar cylindrical flask tubes47 that slidably telescope within a series of similar cylindrical flasktubes 43 fixed within Openings 46.

Tube 48 extend below plate 34 to terminate in smooth edge surfaces 49that slidably sealingiy engage top surface 35 of funnel turntable 17. Ifdesired edges 49 may be rimmed with flexible O-ring seals sliding on thesur face 35 to reduce the chances of powder or dust leakage.

Above plate 33 is disposed a stationary flask filling hood 51 which,FIGURE 2, extends over only a sector of the flask turntable. The lowerend of hood 51 is open and the lower edge of its side wall is providedwith a continuous depending flexible seal rim section 52 that slidablybears on the upper surface of plate 33 to allow relative separation andfollow vertical adjustment of plate 33 while retaining a seal againstescape of powder or dust.

Hood 51 is suitably secured to a fixed support indicated at 53, and itsupper end is closed except for a filler opening 54 which may beconnected to a hopper or like discharge to receive a continuous supplyof the powder to be packaged.

The rotatable shaft 37, which is fixed against lateral and axialdisplacement, is connected as by a drive sprocket and chain assembly 55to a vertical parallel shaft 56 that carries a gear57 meshed withinternal ring gear 31. The axis of shaft 37 is spaced a fixed distancefrom the axis of rotation of funnel turntable 17 as indicated at e inFIG- URES 2 and 3 whereby the flask turntable 32 rotates eccentricallywith respect to funnel turntable 17.

In the invention shafts 37 and 56 are rotated in the same direction atsuch relative velocity that one of the flasks on the turntable 32 isalways approximately centered over funnel opening 23 that is currentlydisposed at the point of approximate tangency of the pitch lines of theflask and funnel opening circles. This relationship can be maintained ifthe distance traveled by each one of the flasks is equal to the distancetraveled by each one of the funnel openings during each revolution ofthe turntable. In this embodiment of FIGURES 13, shafts 37 and 56 arerotated at the same angular velocity and the number of flask openings 45equals the number of funnel openings 23. As will appear in connectionwith the embodiment of FIGURE where the funnel and flask openings haveequal pitch distances, the number of funnel openings is larger than thenumber of flasks and the turntable must be driven faster to attain theforegoing relationship.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a vertical shaft 58 carries a gear 59 meshed withgears 61 and 62 on vertical shaft 63 and 64 mounting the star wheels 14and 21 respectively. Shaft 58 may be driven from the same motor as shaft37, and its speed is synchronized to shaft 37 for a desired containerfill rate.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the funnel turntable diameter is greater thanthat of the flash turntable, and the diameter of the circle 65containing the centers of openings 23 is larger than the diameter of thecircle 66 containing the centers of openings 45, by a distance e whichis equal to approximately twice the eccentric distance 2 between theaxes of the respective turntables. This distance e should not be lessthan the radius of the flask where the flask is cylindrical, or lessthan one-half the width of the flask where it is not cylindrical.

The turntables are of such construction and arrangement that circles 65and 66 are tangent at the point 67 which is diametrically opposite theregion indicated at 68 where the openings of the respective turntablesare furthest apart radially. At region 68, the flask opening designatedby a is on the same diameter as a corresponding funnel top opening 23a,the two openings being about the same size. The region 68 is disposedmidway between the points where the containers enter and leave thefilling apparatus, and the hood 51 is disposed to cover this region andfor a zone of about on either side. Thus about an obtuse angle extentsector of flask openings is always disposed under the hood 51 inposition to be filled with powder from the hood as the flask turntablerotates in the direction of arrow 70 through that angle.

By the time each opening 45 reaches the hood edge 69 which scrapes olfthe powder level with the top surface of plate 33, the flask assembly47, 48 is full and it contains a predetermined volume of powder. Duringthis movement of openings 45 under hood 51, the open lower ends of theassociated flask assemblies are closed by funnel turntable surface 35over which they are sliding in substantial sealing interfit so that nopowder leaks out.

This closed lower end condition of the successive flask assembliescontinues until each in turn reaches the point indicated at 71 in FIGURE2 where, due to the gradual radial outward displacement of each flaskopening 45 relative to the funnel openings 23, the circular lower end ofthe flask assembly depending from opening 45a overlaps the associatedfunnel opening 23a. Now the flask starts to discharge through theassociated funnel into the container below which by this time istelescoped with that flask and sliding along the horizontal ramp section18. Actually the container is in the sealed engagement position ofFIGURE 3 by the time it reaches a point opposite the hood edge 69 ofFIGURE 2.

This overlap of the associated flask assembly and funnel openingincreases as the turntables rotate together over a container fillingzone angle b and reaches maximum overlap at the point 72 where they areconcentric and their axes lie on the point 67 where the center circlesand 66 are tangent. Thereafter during continued turntable rotation theoverlap decreases until at the point 73 the flask no longer is open tofunnel opening 23 and its lower end is again closed in sliding relationwith surface 35. By this time the associated container has been filledand is moving along the ramp for eventual separation from the flask anddisplacement by the star wheel 21. Preferably the container is full bythe time it reaches the point 72.

The foregoing operation is continuous. As the powder is feeding intoeach container, air from the container which is effectively sealed tothe funnel at 27 is allowed to freely escape through the non-overlapportion of the funnel opening so that there is no interference with fullgravity flow of the powder into the container. Also a vent may beprovided in the side of the flask as disclosed in FIGURE 4 and later tobe described. Thus this escaping air which contains fine particles anddust is either vented through the side outlet or passes up eventuallyinto the interior of enclosing casing 80 and does not harm thecontainer. This is an advantage where the powder is abrasive orcorrosive.

Should it be desired to change the weight of the contents delivered toeach container, the distance d between flask turntable plates 33 and 34can be adjusted at 43, 44 and this adjustment changes all of the flaskvolumes at the same time by the same amount without affecting any of theother parts of the apparatus or its operation.

In In successful operation of the FIGURE 1-3 embodiment of theinvention, 28 openings about 2% to 2 /2 inches in diameter were providedin each of the turntables on circles of about 34 and 38 inches diameterrespectively for the flasks and funnels, which circles lie in circularenvelopes that are tangent at 72, with about two inches eccentricity ebetween the turntable drive axes. The diameter of the small end of thefunnel which is about the diameter of the container mouth is in theneighborhood of one and three-eights inches.

Where the number of flasks equals the number of funnels, as in thisembodiment, the turntables are driven at the same speed and there are nosynchronization problems. Where the number of flasks may be differentfrom the number of funnels as in FIGURES 4 and 5, the relative speeds ofthe turntable may be correspondingly selected by suitable gearing sothat the substantially total overlaps condition of region 72 occurssubstantially at the opening center circle tangent point as illustratedin FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show a further embodiment incorporating the inventionwhich differs over that of FIGURES 1-3 in that the containers areindividually lifted into and retracted from filling engagement with thefunnels, and a larger number of funnel openings than flasks are providedin the associated turntables.

A stationary base 71 provides a horizontal platform 72 upon which issuitably secured a rigid hollow annular pedestal 73. A hollow tubularmember 74 is mounted on pedestal 73 for rotation about a vertical axis,being supported on bearings 75 and 76. An annular gear 77 is rigidlysecured upon the lower end of member 74. Gear 77 is meshed with a gear78 on a shaft 79 which is suitably mounted on the platform 72 andcarries below the platform a gear 80 meshed with a gear 81 driventhrough clutch 82 from a motor 83.

The horizontal annual funnel turntable 84 is secured as by bolts 85 uponthe top of member 74 above the pedestal, and turntable 84 is also shownin FIGURE 5 as provided with a number of circtmnferentially equidistantopenings 86 having their centers in a circle whose center which is theaxis of rotation of turntable 84 is indicated at 87 in FIGURE 5.

A series of downwardly tapered funnels 88 have their larger upper endssecured within the turntable openings 86, and a corresponding series ofindividual table can or bottle lifting assemblies 89 are mounted on anannular flange 90 rigid with the lower outer end of a dependingcylindrical skirt 91 secured rigidly upon the bottom of turntable 84.

Each lifting assembly comprises essentially a pair of end plates 92 and93 connected by a spring (not shown) that extends through an opening inrim 90. The plates 92 and 93 are connected to rim 90 by bellows sleeves94 and 95 that house the spring, and secured to lower plate 93 is an arm96 carrying a cam roller 97 engaging the underside of cam track 98.

FIGURE 4 shows the star wheel assembly 101 disposed like star wheel 14of FIGURE 1 adapted to remove a bottle 102 from a conveyor and transferit onto the top plate 92 of a retracted lifting assembly 89. At thispoint the cam track 98 is at its lowest whereby plate 92 is resilientlypulled down to a level to accept the transferred bottle. The movement ofstart wheel 101 is synchronized with the rotation of the turntable 84,by driving the turntable from gear through a gear train 103 and 104, sothat a bottle is transferred onto each retracted assembly 89 as itpasses the star wheel 101.

After leaving the star wheel station the cam track 98 rises to a higherlevel such as shown at the right side of FIGURE 5 so that the assembly89 is upwardly extended to engage the open mouth of bottle 102 with thefunnel 88 in filling position. Then, similarly to FIGURE 2, after thebottle 102 has been filled the cam roller 97 encounters and follows adescending track to the level shown at the left side of FIGURE 4 and asimilar star wheel (not shown) transfers the filled bottle'back onto theconveyor as described in FIGURES 1-3.

Eecentrically within pedestal 73 a hollow column 105 is secured rigidlyto platform 72. A hollow flask turntable drive shaft 106 is supportedfor rotation about a vertical axis on column 105 as by bearings 107 and108. At its lower end shaft 106 carries a gear 109 meshed with gear 81,so that the flask turntable assembly indicated at 111 is rotated insynchronism with the funnel turntable.

Flask turntable 111 comprises parallel horizontal plates 112 and 113,only bottom plate 113 being diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 5 forillustrative purposes, and each plate contains the same number ofopenings equally circumferentially spaced with their centers in a commoncircle.

Lower plate 113 is rigidly secured as by a flanged fitting 115 to theupper end of shaft 106. Upper plate 112 is rigidly secured to a hubstructure 116 that has a longitudinally slidable non-rotatableconnection to shaft extension 117, as by splines 118. A stationary post119 having its lower end suitably fixed to base 71 extends verticallythrough the interior of shaft 106, and a bearing 121 supports the upperplate assembly on post 119 for rotation about a vertical axis. Acylindrical outer wall 122 is mounted on the turntable plate 112.

The upper end of post 119 is fixed within the top wall of a stationaryenclosure 123 surrounding the above described turntable structure.

As in the FIGURES 1-3 embodiment the flask turntable plates separatelymount aligned cylindrical flask tubes 124 and 125, with the upper flasktubes 124 slidably telescoped within the upper ends of tubes 125, andthe lower ends of flask tubes 125 have smooth edged sliding contact withthe flat smooth upper surface of funnel turntable 84. Annular flexibleseals 126 surround the lower ends of flask tubes 125 and wipingly engagethe turntable surface.

A suitable means (not shown) is provided for shifting plate 112 towardor away from plate 113 to adjustably regulate the volume of materialcontained by each combined flask tube unit 124, 125. This may comprisefor example a rack and pinion connection to hub 116. A flexible bellowstype annular seal 127 has its opposite ends connected to plates 112 and113, and an annular seal 128 is secured on table 84 as by fasteners 85and extends into wiping engagement with the lower surface of plate 113.

Referring to FIGURE 5 the'axis of rotation of the flask turntable isindicated at 130, this axis being displaced from axis 87 by theeccentric distance e" corresponding to distance e in FIGURE 2.circumferential distance c between the centers of each flask unit 124,125 is made equal to the circumferential distance between the centers ofeach funnel opening 86, and so the larger diameter funnel turntable hasa larger number of funnels at 86 than the variable volume flasks 124,125 on the flask turntable. More specifically as illustrated there are42 funnel openings 86 and 38 flask assemblies 124, 125.

The flask turntable is rotated sufiiciently faster than In thisembodiment the the tunnel turntable to insure that at the region ofapproximate tangency of the pitch circles 13% and 131 indicated at 132there will be optimum overlap of a flask unit 124, 125 with a funnelopening 86. The region 132; lies substantially on a diametral linecontaining both axes 130 and 8'7 and intersecting the region 133 wherethe flask and funnel opening are furthest apart.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5, the flask filling takes place overan arc of about 164 as illustrated, the upper flasks 124 being open tothe product supply over this are, and the discharge of material from thefilled flasks into the tunnels takes place over approximately theremaining are wherein the flasks and funnel openings overlap. Thebottles to be filled are engaged with the emptying funnels 88 over anindicated are of about 250. Thus this arrangement provides for longertimes of flask filling, discharge of material from the flasks into thefunnels and emptying of the funnels into the bottles.

By providing the individual bottle lifting and lowering in thisembodiment the automatic filling of certain types of containers isfacilitated and speed up, because small differences in container heightsare compensated by the container lift flexibility, the need fortelescopic funnels is eliminated and sliding of the containers along acam track is avoided. In the FIGURE 4, 5 embodiment the skirt 91 mayhave side pockets like those at 2%} in FIGURE 3 to steady the containersduring filling.

The eccentric turntable arrangement shown in FI URES 4 and 5 may be usedin the assembly of FIGURES 1-3 as desired.

Referring to FIGURE 4, side vents 134 may be provided for allowing airto escape from funnels 88, these vents being connected to discharge intoa suitable manifold indicated at 135. This arrangement can also be usedon funnel 24 in the FIGURE 1-3 species.

The number and size of the flasks and funnels, and the diameters of theturntables, may be selected to suit desired operational conditions andthe needs of particular containers. The invention has been found to beparticularly useful for the automatic filling of relative tall irregularshaped plastic bottles having larger diameter bodies with relativelysmall mouth openings. The container is eifectively sealed to thedischarge end of the funnel during a predetermined are of rotation ofthe funnel turntable, and the upper end of the funnel is open to thelower end of the associated measuring flask during apart to this are ofrotation and is otherwise closed. The top surface of the funnelturntable valves the discharge from the measuring flasks.

The proportion of the revolution of the turntables devoted to fillingmeasuring flasks and discharging the flasks into the associatedcontainers may be varied by varying the relative diameters of the flaskand funnel opening circles. and/or by changing the relative number offlasks and funnels, and/ or by changing the relative speeds of theturntables. In any event the movement of the flasks may be sosynchronized with that of the funnels that the flasks are being filledonly during a portion of the turntable rotation wherein the lowerturntable I closes the lower ends of the flasks, the containers aremoved and held in sealed engagement with the funnels during another andsubsequent portion of turntable rotation, and the flasks are dischargedinto the funnels during said other portion of turntable rotation.

It has been found that the invention reduces container filling time ascompared to prior apparatus, and this provides a general speed-up of theentire operation.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 4

1. Apparatus for filling moving containers with fluent materialcomprising a first movably mounted member providing a row of open bottommeasuring flasks movable along a path in a selected direction, means forsimultaneously filling a plurality of adjacent moving flasks over apredetermined part of said path comprising means providing a reservoirof said material having its lower end slidably engaged and closed bysaid moving first member and being of such size as to extend over aconsecutive plurality of said flasks, a movably mounted lower dischargecontrol member providing a row of discharge openings movable along arelated path in the same general direction and slidably engaged with thelower ends of said flasks, means for associating a series of movingcontainers to be filled with said discharge openings over apredetermined part of the path of movement of said openings, and meansfor continuously moving both of said members in the same direction insuch synchronism that during the part of said movement, when said flasksare being filled, said lower member closes the lower ends of said flasksand during subsequent movement each of said flasks moves with its lowerend in operative material discharging alignment with an associated oneof said openings during said part of the path of movement of saidopenings wherein the containers are in position to receive said materialtherefrom.

2. Apparatus for automatically filling a succession of containers with afluent material comprising a first rotatable member providing a row ofopen bottom measuring flasks movable in a circular path in a selecteddirection, means for filling said moving flasks during movement over aportion of said path, a lower discharge control member providing a rowof discharge openings movable along a circular path in the same generaldirection but eccentric with respect to the flask path, means forassociating a series of moving containers with said openings over apredetermined path portion, means for continuously rotating said memberswith the lower member in sliding engagement with the lower ends of saidflasks and in such synchronism that said moving lower member closes thebottoms of said flasks while they are being filled and subsequently theopen bottom of each flask and an associated opening move along theirrespective paths into operational alignment for discharge of the flasksduring a portion of said flask movement subsequent to said filling andduring said portion of the path of movement of said openings whereinsaid containers are in position to receive said material therefrom.

3. In the apparatus defined in claim 2, said flask filling means beingoperative to fill a consecutive series of said flasks over apredetermined angular extent, said lower member being operative to closesaid flask lower ends over a predetermined larger angular extent, andsaid material being discharged from a flask to an associated containerover a predetermined still larger angular extent.

4. Apparatus for automatically filling moving containers with a fluentmaterial comprising a first rotatable member having a circular row ofdischarge openings, means for continually advancing containers to befilled into material receiving engagement with said openings, means formoving said engaged containers around with said first member for apredetermined portion of revolution, means for disengaging said filledcontainers from said member, a second rotatable member mounted abovesaid first member and having a circular row of depending open bottommeasuring flasks slidably engaging the upper surface of said firstmember, means for filling said flasks with said material during a firstportion of revolution of said second member wherein the lower ends ofsaid flasks are colsed by said surface, said second member being mountedto turn about an axis parallel to but offset from the 9 axis of saidfirst member, and means for continuously rotating said members in suchsynchronism that during a subsequent portion of revolution of saidsecond member the lower end of each of said flasks will overlap anassociated opening to discharge the flask contents into said containers.

5. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said members being rotated atthe same speed and there being the same number of flasks as dischargeopenings.

6. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, the circumferential distancebetween the centers of said flasks being substantially equal to thecircumferential distance between the centers of said discharge openings,and said second member being rotated faster than said first member.

7. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said flasks and dischargeopenings having their respective centers lying in circles of differentdiameter, and the circular envelopes containing said circles beingsubstantially tangent at the region of maximum overlap of said flaskswith said openmgs.

8. In the apparatus defined in claim 7, the circle of flask centersbeing the smaller and said tangent region being substantiallydiametrically opposite the region where said flasks are spaced furthestfrom said discharge openmgs.

9. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said flask filling meanscomprising means for simultaneously filling a consecutive series of saidmoving flasks during said first portion of revolution of said secondmember.

10. Apparatus for automatically filling moving containers with a fluentmaterial comprising a first rotatable turntable having a circular row ofdepending funnels, means for continually advancing containers to befilled into material receiving engagement with said funnels, means formoving said engaged containers around with said turntable for apredetermined portion of revolution, means for disengaging said filledcontainers from the turntable, a second turntable rotatably mountedabove said first turntable and having a circular row of depending openbottom measuring flasks with their lower edges slidably engaging theupper surface of said first turntable, means for filling said flaskswith said material during a first portion of revolution of said secondturntable wherein the bottoms of the flasks are closed by said surface,said second turntable being mounted to turn about a vertical axisparallel to but oflset from the axis of said first turntable, and meansfor continuously rotating said turntables in such synchronism thatduring a subsequent portion of revolution of said second turntable thelower end of each of said flasks will overlap an associated opening todischarge the flask contents into said containers.

11. In the apparatus defined in claim 10, said flasks and dischargeOpenings having their centers lying in circles that are of differentdiameter and are disposed in envelopes that are substantially tangent atthe point of maximum overlap, and the circle containing the flaskcenters being of the smaller diameter.

12. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a first turntablerotatable about a first vertical axis, a flask turntable disposed abovesaid first turntable and rotatable about a second vertical axis spaced afixed distance from said first axis, a series of discharge controlopenings in said first turntable having their centers lying in a circleconcentric with said first axis, means for continuously rotating saidturntables in the same direction about their respective axes, a seriesof flasks mounted in openings in said flask turntable with their openlower ends slidably engaged with said first turntable and having thecenters of their openings lying in a smaller diameter circle concentricwith said second axis, said circles lying in cylindrical envelopes thatare substantially tangent at one region and the difference in diametersbetween the circles being substantially equal to twice the distancebetween said axes and means for filling said flasks during revolution ofsaid first turntable, the bottoms of a con secutive series of saidflasks being closed by said moving first turntable while said movingflasks are being filled, and the bottom of each moving filled flaskoperatively aligning in discharging relationwith an associatedrelatively moving opening in the first turntable during a subsequentportion of turntable revolution.

13. In the apparatus defined in claim 12, said flask turntablecomprising two vertically spaced generally horizontal plates having thesame number of superposed flask openings, telescoped open ended flasktubes secured in the plates at said superposed openings with the tubesecured to the lower plate projecting down into substantially slidingseal engagement with the upper surface of said first turntable, andmeans for relatively adjusting said plates toward and from each other tovary the volumetric capacity of said flasks.

14. In the apparatus defined in claim 13, a vertical drive shaft forsaid flask turntable rigidly connected to said lower plate, means driveconnecting said upper plate to said shaft, and said adjustment meanscomprising means for displacing said upper plate along said shaft.

15. In the apparatus defined in claim 12, said filling means comprisinga material supply hood fixedly mounted above a sector of said flaskturntable with its open lower end at said flask turntable, said sectorbeing remote from said tangent region, and sealing means around thelower edge of said hood flexibly slidably engaging the upper surface ofsaid upper plate.

16. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a funnelturntable rotatable about a first vertical axis, a flask turntabledisposed above said funnel turntable and rotatable about a secondvertical axis spaced a fixed distance from said first axis, means forcontinuously rotating said turntables in the same direction about theirrespective axes, a series of discharge control openings in said funnelturntable having their centers lying in a circle concentric with saidfirst axis, a series of flasks mounted in openings in said flaskturntable with open lower ends slidably engaging said funnel turntableand having the centers of their openings lying in a smaller diametercircle concentric with said second axis, said circles lying incylindrical envelopes that are substantially tangent at one point andthe difference in said diameters being substantially equal to twice thedistance between said axes, means for filling said flasks duringrotation of said flask turntable, the bottoms of a consecutive series ofsaid flasks being closed by said moving funnel turntable while saidflasks are being filled, and the bottom of each moving filled flaskoperatively aligning in discharge relation with an associated movingopening in the funnel turntable during a subsequent portion of turntablerevolution, and funnels depending from each of said discharge controlopenings constructed and arranged at their lower ends for frictionalsealing engagement with the mouths of containers to be filled.

17. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a funnelturntable rotatable about a vertical axis and having a series ofcircumferentially equidistant discharge openings arranged in a circleabout its periphery, open top funnels depending from said turntable atsaid openings, and a flask turntable assembly rotatably mounted to turnabout a vertical axis spaced from said funnel turntable axis and havinga related series of circumferentially equidistant flasks dependingtherefrom with their lower ends slidably engaging said funnel turntable,means for continuously rotating said turntables about their respectiveaxes in the same direction, means for filling said flasks duringrotation of the flask turntable, the turntable diameters and speedsbeing such and the relationship of flasks to discharge openings beingsuch that during a predetermined arc of revolution of said funnelturntable a series of consecutive discharge openings are overlapped inoperative discharge relation with the open lower ends of a correspondingseries of said flasks and during the remainder of each revolution saidflasks are out of 11 alignment with said discharge openings and areclosed at their lower ends by the rotating funnel turntable.

18. In the apparatus defined in claim 17, said flasks being arrangedalong a smaller pitch circle, the pitch distance between flask centersbeing equal to the pitch distance between discharge openings and saidflask turntable assembly being driven faster than said funnel turntable.

19. Apparatus for filling continuuosly moving containers with a fluentmaterial comprising a flrst rotatable turntable having a dependingcircular row of open bottom flasks, a second rotatable turntable havinga circular row of funnel openings with which said containers are adaptedto be associated and an upper surface in direct sliding engagement withthe lower ends of said flasks, and means for continuously rotating saidturntables in the same direction about offset axes so related that saidlower turntable closes the bottom of said flasks over a predeterminingangle of travel during which they are 12 filled with said material andaligns a respective funnel opening in operative relation with the bottomof a respective flask for discharge of the material from each flask onlyinto an associated funnel opening during a related predetermined angleof travel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,828,167 10/1931Ayars 141-144 X 2,055,075 9/1936 Gardner l41-133 2,176,557 10/1939Lippold 141-152 X 2,358,680 9/1944 Ayars 14l145 X 2,616,606 11/1952Beehler l41144 2,928,438 3/1960 La Pier et al 14ll52 X 2,932,329 4/1960Gardner et a1 l41132 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

E. I. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR FILLING MOVING CONTAINERS WITH FLUENT MATERIALCOMPRISING A FIRST MOVABLY MOUNTED MEMBER PROVIDING A ROW OF OPEN BOTTOMMEASURING FLASKS MOVABLE ALONG A PATH IN A SELECTED DIRECTION, MEANS FORSIMULTANEOUSLY FILLING A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT MOVING FLASKS OVER APREDETERMINED PART OF SAID PATH COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING A RESERVOIROF SAID MATERIAL HAVING ITS LOWER END SLIDABLY ENGAGED AND CLOSED BYSAID MOVING FIRST MEMBER AND BEING OF SUCH SIZE AS TO EXTEND OVER ACONSECUTIVE PLURALITY OF SAID FLASKS, A MOVABLY MOUNTED LOWER DISCHARGECONTROL MEMBER PROVIDING A ROW OF DISCHARGE OPENINGS MOVABLE ALONG ARELATED PATH IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED WITH THELOWER ENDS OF SAID FLASKS, MEANS FOR ASSOCIATING A SERIES OF MOVINGCONTAINERS TO BE FILLED WITH SAID DISCHARGE OPENINGS OVER APREDETERMINED PART OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID OPENINGS, AND MEANSFOR CONTINUOUSLY MOVING BOTH OF SAID MEMBERS IN THE SAME DIRECTION INSUCH SYNCHRONISM THAT DURING THE PART OF SAID MOVEMENT, WHEN SAID FLASKSARE BEING FILLED, SAID LOWER MEMBER CLOSES THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID FLASKSAND DURING SUBSEQUENT MOVEMENT EACH OF SAID FLASKS MOVES WITH ITS LOWEREND IN OPERATIVE MATERIAL DISCHARGING ALIGNMENT WITH AN ASSOCIATED ONEOF SAID OPENINGS DURING SAID PART OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAIDOPENINGS WHEREIN THE CONTAINERS ARE IN POSITION TO RECEIVE SAID MATERIALTHEREFROM.